Improvement in fire-escapes



N. SOHROEDER. Fire-Escape.

No. 200,878. Patented March 5, 1878..

NPETERSI'FHGTO-LLTHOGRAPNEH, WASHINGTON. n c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NICOLAUS SOHROEDER, or DAVENPORT, IOWA.

'l MVPROVEMENT IN Fl RE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,878, dated March 5, 1878 application filed V -May 9, 1877.

To all whom it man concern:

Be it known that I, NIOOLAUS Sonnonnnn,

. of the city of Davenport,-county of Scott,andv

State of Iowa, .havcinvented an Improved Life-Preserver, of which the'following is a specification The object of my invention is to make a,

end of the pole A rigidly, as shown, and so arranged that a person sitting on it can put his feet through, between'the side supporters e e of the seat and the pole A at ff and in fastening the strapcaround under the arms of the person, there is no danger of falling off from the instrument. The side holes 01 d through the pole (or, instead of the holes, 'sta- 1 ple's or'eyes might be cast on the pole) are so arranged that a line drawn through these holes, and passed e'ither around the pole in a spiral form, or alpng the sides of the pole in a serpentine manner, will produce sufficient friction to sustain any weight placed on the seat. If the friction of therope is not suificient to support the person using the preserver, the

a least pressure on the rope at the pole, or pulling at the lower end of the rope, will increase the friction.

The pole itself may be either round, flat, or any other shape,'and be made of any material.

Itwill be easily seen that by fastening one end of the rope to an object in the room, and throwing the other end out of the window, and placing themselves on the seat, persons may save their lives, in case of fire, without danger or loss of time or much trouble.

I am aware that fire-escapes are in use composed of posts with ropes coiled about them to form a tension equal to the imposed weight,

and therefore do not claim, broadly, on this principle.

I am also aware that fire-escapes have been invented with seats attached or swung by ropes, or equivalents, to the post, and do not therefore claim, broadly, a seat attachment for fire-escapes.

It will be observed that I form my device with a post without grooves, having a seat rigidly attached at its lower end, which is sustained by arms connecting said seat with the post. By this means I produce a device rigid and firm in construction and steady in operation, which I claim to be superior to any that I have a knowledge of.

I claim as 1nyinvention- 1. The post A with openings d d, in combination with seat a, rigidly attached to said post, and sustained by arms 6 e, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with post A and seat a, rigidly secured thereto, the arm-rest 0, attached to post A by staple h, as and for the purpose set forth.

NIGOLAUS SGHROEDEB.

Witnesses F. G. OLAUsEN, LoUIs P. BEST. 

